Too Lazy to be a Villainess novel Chapter 286

Chapter 286: The Fool Who Loves

[Osric’s POV—Dawnspire Wing—Later]

The sound of the door clicking shut echoed longer than it should have. Her voice still lingered in the air—cold, cutting, and final.

"You can do whatever you want... just leave me alone."

I exhaled slowly, but it wasn’t air that left my lungs—it was something heavier, something that burned on its way out.

For a moment, I just stood there outside her chamber, staring at the intricate gold carvings on the door, the same ones I used to trace absently whenever she slept. Now, it felt like a wall between us—and it was.

"Jealousy," I whispered under my breath.The word tasted like ash.

Of all the things I could’ve said... of all the ways I could’ve defended her.

Why that word? Why did my tongue betray me like that?

She had every right to hate me. She had fought, bled, and burned for me more times than I could count—and I had thrown her loyalty into the fire like it meant nothing.

I pressed my hand against the door for a fleeting second, feeling the faint warmth through the wood. It was the closest I could get to her now.

"So... feel like drinking?"

The voice drifted from the hallway, sharp enough to slice through my thoughts.

I looked up. Rey stood a few steps away, leaning casually against the arched window, sunlight painting golden over his smug grin.

I exhaled. "No. I need to stay on guard."

Rey pushed himself off the wall, taking a few lazy steps closer. "C’mon, there are a dozen knights posted outside her door, and Marshi’s inside. She’s not exactly unprotected, Osric."

"I said no," I muttered, my tone clipped.

But Rey didn’t take the hint. He never did. He folded his arms, eyeing me with that irritating mix of amusement and pity. "You look like you’ve been run over by a carriage and dragged halfway to hell. One drink won’t kill you. Probably."

I gave him a look. "It’s barely a day, Rey."

He snorted. "A man who’s just fought with the woman he loves doesn’t need the right day or the right weather to drink."

I frowned, but the corner of his mouth quirked higher.

He added softly, "He just needs the wrong words."

That hit harder than I wanted to admit.

For a second, neither of us spoke. The air between us carried too many unsaid things—regret, exhaustion, and the quiet ache of things that couldn’t be undone.

Finally, I muttered, "Fine. Just one."

Rey grinned, satisfied, clapping me on the shoulder. "That’s the spirit. Or at least, soon to be."

***

[The Royal Wine Chamber—Later]

The royal wine chamber was quiet at this hour—dim light, amber glow flickering against the glass shelves that held enough bottles to drown an army’s sorrow.

Rey sauntered in like he owned the place, sweeping a few goblets off the table and filling them without ceremony. "To terrible decisions and worse timing," he said, raising his glass.

I sat across from him, leaning back in the chair. "You’re drinking to your life story, not mine."

"Same genre," he replied dryly, taking a sip. "Different author." 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

I didn’t respond. The burn of the wine felt dull against my throat, as if my body had grown immune to punishment.

Rey watched me for a moment, then exhaled. "You know, I thought Princess would throw a vase at your head or freeze your boots to the floor. But ignoring you? That’s new. That’s... worse."

"Don’t remind me," I muttered.

"I mean," he continued, unfazed, "I’m surprised you survived that talk without being turned into a statue. What did you say to her?"

I hesitated — and that silence was answer enough.

Rey’s smirk faded. "Grand Duke?"

"I am not...grand duke yet," I said.

"You will...one day." He said and asked, "So...what did you say to the princess?"

I set the goblet down a little too hard. "I told her she was losing control. That if she’d killed that girl, they’d have called her a tyrant and..." I whispered low, "...I used the word jealousy."

Rey winced. "Oof. You didn’t."

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